Beneteau 311

The Beneteau 311, also called the Oceanis 311 and Oceanis 311 Clipper, is a French sailboat that was designed by Groupe Finot as a cruiser and first built in 1997 as a 1998 model year. The design was also sold as the Stardust 311 for the yacht charter market. The same hull design also served as the basis for the Figaro Solo, the Beneteau First 310, Beneteau First 31.7 and the Beneteau Oceanis 300.

Production
The design was built by Beneteau in France, from 1997 until 2003, with 1042 boats built, but it is now out of production.

Design
The Beneteau 311 is a recreational keelboat, built predominantly of polyester glassfibre. The hull is solid fibreglass, while the deck has a balsa core. It has a fractional sloop rig, with a deck-stepped mast, one set of swept spreaders and aluminium spars with continuous 1X19 stainless steel wire standing rigging. A mast-furling mainsail was optional. The hull has a slightly raked stem, a reverse transom, an internally mounted spade-type rudder controlled by a wheel and a fixed fin keel with a weighted bulb, or an optional stub keel with a bottom beaching plate, centreboard and twin rudders to allow it to remain upright when beached. The fin keel model displaces 7716 lb and carries 2425 lb of cast iron ballast, while the centerboard version displaces 8708 lb and carries 3085 lb of cast iron ballast.

The Oceanis 311 Clipper was a model with many factory options as standard equipment.

The keel-equipped version of the boat has a draft of 4.67 ft, while the centreboard-equipped version has a draft of 7.08 ft with the centreboard extended and 2.58 ft with it retracted, allowing operation in shallow water, or beaching.

The boat is fitted with a Japanese Yanmar diesel engine of 18 hp for docking and manoeuvring. The fuel tank holds 17 u.s.gal and the fresh water tank has a capacity of 48 u.s.gal.

The design has sleeping accommodation for four people, with a double "V"-berth berth in the bow cabin, two straight settees around a table in the main cabin and an aft cabin with a double berth on the port side. The galley is located on the port side just forward of the companionway ladder. The galley is C-shaped and is equipped with a four-burner stove, an ice box and a double sink. A navigation station is opposite the galley, on the starboard side. The head is located starboard aft and includes a shower. Cabin headroom is 73 in.

The design has a hull speed of 7.17 kn and a PHRF handicap of 141 to 159 for the fin keel model and 168 for the centreboard model.

Operational history
In a September 2000 Yacht and Boat review, Barry Tranter wrote, "I don't have any statistics but my guess is that most Oceanis go to charter. One owner I have met was a retired ocean racer who wanted an all-furling cruising boat, easy to handle but quick enough, so he and the Missus could weekend aboard in comfort. The 311, which has both internal volume and a fast hull, will fill both roles."